Tonight, I’m making soup with Italian sausage, basil, celery and orzo. Floyd gave me the recipe, so it should be tasty.
It’s a fairly big deal for me to cook. Most days, I come home and just eat cereal, ramen noodles or leftovers. My mother tells me to cook on Sunday for the week, but I’m rarely in the mood to cook on the weekends.
Sophomore year in college, I cooked all the time. It was the year that I got my first (dorm room) kitchen and also the year I lived the furthest from the dinning hall (really only a few extra blocks). I loved to make steak, spaghetti, and greens for dinner. I’d dazzle my roommate with my homemade concoctions (she loved my sweet Jiffy cornbread!) and fill the room and hallways with a great homemade smell. Once classes picked up and I grew tired of constantly washing all the dirty dishes I’d make, cooking became a little less fun. By junior year, I ate most of my meals at the dinning hall or just headed over to Floyd’s house for one of his gourmet meals (he’d moved to D.C. by then).
I miss the college days of the seemingly endless meal plan and most of all, the days of Chef Floyd. But now that I’m a single adult, it’s about time for me to take care of myself and start creating my own dazzling meals again.
2 comments:
Well, Hello Ms. Hippo,
I really enjoy reading your posts and I hope you keep up the really great site. To help with your little endeavor, here's an easy and delicious soup recipe to add to your collection:
Italian Spinach & Bean Soup (Serves 4)
Ingredients -
Pancetta, 8 oz.
Frozen Chopped Spinach, 1 box
White Cannellini Beans, 1 can
Fire-roasted Tomatos, 1 can
Chicken Stock, 3 cups
Water, 1 cup
Garlic, 2 cloves
Fresh Basil, 1/2 cup
Dry Oregano, 1/2 teaspoon
Dry Parsley, 1/2 teaspoon
One Bay Leaf
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions -
In your favorite red dutch oven, cook the pancetta (diced) with a teaspoon of olive oil until crispy over medium heat. Remove the bacon from pot and drain the tendered fat from bottom leaving about one to two tablespoons along with the brown bits.
Add one teaspoon of olive oil and add the smashed garlic to lightly brown and release its aroma. Before the garlic browns add the can of tomatoes and use its liquid to lift the brown bits from the bottom of the pan by scrapping with a wooden spoon. Once the tomatoes have come to temperture add the stock and water and continue to release any brown bits if necessary.
Return the pancetta and add the cut basil, bay leaf, salt and freshly groud black pepper. Also add dried herbs by first grinding in the palm of your hand to release aroma and essetial oils. Add the beans (drain beans according to your taste) and defrosted chopped spinach - be sure to squeeze excess liquid from spinach first.
Stir occasionally and once at a low boil, reduce to low heat and maintain a simmer. Cover with closely fitted lid and let sit for twenty minutes or more to throughly meld flavors. Serve steaming hot bowls with fresh warm bread or large crouton.
Additional Notes -
This recipe is incredibly versatile so feel free to substitute any of the major ingredients. For example, try spicy Italian sausage instead of pancetta by cooking the sausage by first removing it from its skin while still fresh and browning as you would ground beef. Or try a variety of different beans or greens to add different flavors and textures.
Bon Appetit!!!
Thanks my ex, Floyd, for your recipe. I'll be sure to make that soup next. I'm glad we're still friends!
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